Microsoft blames US Government for 'WannaCrypt' ransomware disaster
The "WannaCrypt" ransomware has proven to be a disaster globally. This malware will encrypt a user's files and then demand some Bitcoin ransom to decrypt them. While the amount being demanded is relatively low at $300 or $600, the scam can be modified for even larger amounts. Heck, even after the ransom is paid, there is no guarantee that the bad guys will follow through with the decryption, making it quite the gamble. As the ransomware has disrupted government agencies, medical services, and other critical computers, the ransom is being paid by some, as it can literally be the the difference between life and death -- surgeries and other procedures have been delayed.
While there are many directions in which you can point the finger of blame, Microsoft should absolutely not shoulder any of the responsibility. After all, the vulnerability that led to the disaster was patched back in March. It never even affected the most recent version of the operating system, Windows 10. The company has even since patched the archaic Windows XP! So who is to blame? Users and administrators that failed to keep their systems up to date are partially at fault. The biggest blame belongs to an unlikely party -- the US Government! You see, an agency of our own government -- the NSA -- knew about the exploit, and rather than alert Microsoft, it chose to stockpile it for intelligence purposes. Sadly, the exploit itself got leaked, and as a result, it landed into the hands of evildoers.
Microsoft patches Windows XP to fight the WannaCrypt ransomware attacks
Microsoft stopped supporting Windows XP back in 2014, but today it releases one more security update for the ancient OS.
The software giant is taking this "highly unusual" step to fight back against the WannaCrypt ransomware cyber attacks that have so far hit nearly 100 countries around the world. And XP is not the only unsupported system receiving this patch.
Over-reliance on one defensive layer leads to ransomware attacks: prepare early, check often
Since its first appearance more than 20 years ago, ransomware has become one of the most discussed cyber threats -- affecting companies of all sizes, across all industries.
We cannot go a couple of days without seeing a new breach headline as a result of a ransomware attack (today's attack on healthcare is a prime example). The threat environment is becoming more dangerous because enterprises are not adequately prepared to protect, defend, respond or remediate.
NHS hospitals hit by ransomware attack [Update: Now spreading globally]
Hospitals and doctors' surgeries across the UK have been hit by what is being described as a large scale ransomware attack.
The attack is believedto have begun at around 1:30 pm today. Areas affected include East and North Hertfordshire, North Cumbria, Blackpool, and Barts Health in London.
Ransomware continues to dominate the cyber threat landscape
A new report from Panda Security's PandaLabs research arm reveals that real time attacks that involve direct interaction with the victim are on the rise.
It also shows the increasing professionalism of cyber criminals. Highly specialized groups are forming in fields like the creation and distribution of malware and exploits. An example covered by PandaLabs is the RDPatcher attack, the purpose of which is to put the victim’s computer up for sale on the black market for use in a bot network.
Ransomware remains profitable as 47 percent fall victim to attacks
Ransomware is one of the most successful and profitable weapons in the cyber criminal's armory, partly because it leverages an old-fashioned crime in a new digital format.
A new study by Barracuda Networks reveals that 92 percent of people surveyed are concerned about ransomware hitting their organization, and 47 percent of respondents have been a victim of ransomware themselves.
'Fatboy' ransomware uses a location-based charging model
A new ransomware-as-a-service product named 'Fatboy' has been advertised on Russian language forums. What makes it different is the way it uses a sliding scale to charge its victims.
Threat intelligence company Recorded Future has revealed that Fatboy uses the Economist's Big Mac Index -- designed to explain exchange rates -- to ensure victims in areas with a higher cost of living will be charged more to decrypt their data.
Ransomware's biggest target is the healthcare sector
Ransomware grew 50 percent in just a year, according to a new report by Verizon. The Verizon Data Breach Investigations Report (DBIR) is based on the analysis of 79,000 security incidents and 1,945 confirmed data breaches, across 79 countries.
According to the report, ransomware also grew in popularity, and by a large margin. In 2014, it was the 22nd most common malware variety. Fast-forward two years, and now it’s fifth most common.
Most Brits can't explain what ransomware is
Despite the fact that the media is constantly buzzing with stories of successful ransomware attacks, the general public in the UK is largely unaware of the threat.
Backup experts Acronis polled Brits, and in their report it says that 60 percent of respondents would not be able to explain what ransomware actually is. Sixteen percent "just heard of it," while seven percent say they could "definitely" explain what ransomware is. Fifteen percent "probably could"
Karmen ransomware gives cyber criminals a user-friendly attack tool
Researchers at threat intelligence specialist Recorded Future have uncovered a new strain of ransomware called Karmen that’s designed for use by people with limited technical expertise.
The ransomware-as-service has been developed by Russian and German hackers and is notable for its user-friendly approach. It comes equipped with a dashboard that allows the tracking of computers infected with the virus, including the status of any ransom that’s been paid.
Debunking the three major ransomware myths
On March 14, the UK National Crime Agency and National Cyber Security Center sounded the alarm about the growing cyber threat. One of their conclusions was that ransomware represents a significant, and growing, threat to UK business. Combine this with the fact that the last 12 months has seen cyber attacks on an unprecedented scale, and you’ve got a melting pot of cyber activity right now.
These warnings come as no surprise. Ransomware use has exploded over the past year or so, particularly in the UK, simply because it is an easy way for cyber criminals to make significant amounts of money. Ransomware works, simply because many firms are forced to pay the ransom because they don’t have the defense systems in place to avoid doing so.
Wiping out ransomware after an attack? Some UK businesses not confident they can do it
A third (36 percent) of companies in the UK that have been victims of a ransomware attack are not "very confident" they managed to completely eradicate the malware from their systems, according to a new report by Citrix.
The report also shines new light on just how prevalent and dangerous ransomware attacks really are. One in three UK businesses have had more than 100 of their devices affected by ransomware recently.
One in three ransomware victims suffer data loss
Users are generally unaware of the dangers of ransomware attacks, and that makes them mostly clueless about how to prepare for one. This is according to a new report by Acronis.
The report is based on a survey conducted in the US, UK, Australia, Germany, France and Japan. With users being as they are, ransomware was quick to become one of the most serious malware threats out there. It is expected that $5 billion will be extorted this year, alone.
Downtime is a key cost of ransomware attacks
The cost of downtime due to lack of access to systems for customers and employees was the biggest business impact of a ransomware attack according to 59 percent of respondents to a new survey.
The study from cyber security company Imperva also shows that 32 percent of respondents say their company has been infected with ransomware with 11 percent taking longer than a week to regain access to their systems after an attack.
Malware hidden deeper in installer packages to evade detection
Microsoft's Malware Protection Center has identified a new wave of NSIS (Nullsoft Scriptable Install System) installers that seek to evade detection by burying malware deeper in the code.
The changes have been seen in installers that drop ransomware like Cerber, Locky, and others. The installers try to look as normal as possible by incorporating non-malicious components that usually appear in legitimate installers.
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